A company spokesman says the final choice will depend on several factors, including the available work force and economic incentives

well... we all know the state likes to give tax breaks...

however, is the available work force any good? i should inform my biotechie cousin of this... it'd be awesome for us...

the only thing i can see being better about NC is that the property would be cheaper. MA already has a ton of biotech, so they've obviously got a huge available work force. NY just has a ton of people, so they've got the work force as well... i guess you can say people in MA can be considered work force here as well...

any idea where in RI they're looking?

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"As of now, the state is not offering any specific tax breaks or tax incentives to get the company to choose Rhode Island, said McMahon. But he said once the company commits to Rhode Island, the EDC would be willing to ``negotiate.''

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I'm thinking that they may go to the NC "triangle" area which is loaded with colleges, universities and talent. What would their advantage be for coming here? This is why the Govenor wants a bio-tech/bio-med school at URI built. I think Amgen expanding here rang the bell that we need to educate our young people in the areas of biology, chemistry and sciences as it relates to the pharmacutical industry. I believe that a bond has already been approved by the voters for a $ 50 million bio-med center at the university which I think is breaking ground this

year. This can be a good selling point, as is the new access road to Rt 4 and the third rail project. Also a nearby sea port. But how sweet would it have been if our main state airport was at Quonset Point instead of Warwick. That should have happened years ago. But Quonset is a military airport so I don't even know if this was possible. If enough incentives are given it may tip the scales in our favor. After all, there is a lot of talent in the Boston & CT area which is close enough to RI to be a deal closer. Quonset Point is a sleeping giant! My fingers are crossed. The odds in Las Vegas are 9/2 Quonset. I'll take those odds any day!

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An article today tells that we wont win on incentives alone, and tells of our specific advantages and why we beat out other states. Apparently we have a high quality manufacturing work force, which I did not know. My first thoughts on this announcement were that we'd lose out solely on our work force compared to NY and NC. A Mass or RI site could share the same work force I'd imagine. I think our chances are pretty good though.

"Rhode Island made the initial cut as Bristol-Myers whittled the list down from as many as 15 sites, said McMahon. The high quality of the state's manufacturing work force, the strength of the site, and the existence of Amgen Inc.'s massive drug-manufacturing facility off Route 95 in West Greenwich all worked in the state's favor, said McMahon."

"Considering the deep pockets of the other three states that Bristol-Myers is considering, Rhode Island won't win on tax incentives alone, said McMahon. The company, the fifth-largest drug maker in the United States, is already producing biologics drugs in Syracuse, N. Y."

"Considering the competition, we're not going to be able to buy anyone," said McMahon"

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An article today tells that we wont win on incentives alone, and tells of our specific advantages and why we beat out other states. Apparently we have a high quality manufacturing work force, which I did not know. My first thoughts on this announcement were that we'd lose out solely on our work force compared to NY and NC. A Mass or RI site could share the same work force I'd imagine. I think our chances are pretty good though.

I'm glad the BMS thinks the workforce is an asset. I can definitely see that compared to many other states. But now this is some tough competition. Massachusetts has probably the best academic base and NC is probably the cheapest. I would say upstate NY (depending on the area) and RI are on about the same level that way, and are probably slightly ahead of the other two in terms of available blue collar talent. RTP is pretty saturated and I do wonder if they haven't used up a lot of their available workforce even though people still move there. Massachusetts has available blue collar types but I think they are generally more expensive than equivalent RIer's.

I imagine, though, that the plant would go in a more rural type setting, probably off of 95 south of the Rt. 4 interchange, like Amgen, and contribute to sprawl in the same way Amgen has. The site will likely be quite large. Wonder if we could get them to do a Brownfields project north of the Save the bay campus off of Allens. Although I'm not sure there is enough room left down there.

edit: whoops I guess they are only considering Quonset. That's good and bad. At least it's not a new sprawl site.

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But how sweet would it have been if our main state airport was at Quonset Point instead of Warwick. That should have happened years ago.

Quonset does have the longest runway in the state.

Wonder if we could get them to do a Brownfields project north of the Save the bay campus off of Allens. Although I'm not sure there is enough room left down there.

That would be awesome.

We need to make it NOT an incentive for local communities to fight for large developments like this for tax base purposes. Put the jobs in the cities where they belong, not in unaccessible places like West Greenwich.

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These comments at the end of the article are a little depressing (as it regards our chances of winning this sweepstakes):

Considering the deep pockets of the other three states that Bristol-Myers is considering, Rhode Island won't win on tax incentives alone, said McMahon. The company, the fifth-largest drug maker in the United States, is already producing biologics drugs in Syracuse, N. Y.

"Considering the competition, we're not going to be able to buy anyone," said McMahon.

However, this paragraph from the middle of the article give me hope that we still have a fighting chance:

On Saturday, Feb. 11, the EDC set up a meeting with Bristol-Myers' Chief Executive Officer Peter Dolan and Governor Carcieri, House Speaker William Murphy, Senate President Joseph A. Montalbano and House Majority Leader Gordon Fox, according to McMahon. The EDC wanted "to demonstrate that you really can get key decision makers around the table" in Rhode Island and that the state is "supportive of economic development," said McMahon.

That's our asset here. MA has the obvious advantage of its large, pre-existing biotech community. NC has the advantage of being cheaper. NY, well, their advantage depends on where in NY we're talking about.

But our advantage lies in the fact that, being a tiny state, our top officials are always within arm's length. And we should be pressing that advantage. We should be bending over backwards to show this company how accomodating we can be.

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Plus, all these drug operations popping up require modern, specialized manufacturing facilities that the old factories in Providence don't offer.

True. As much as I would like to see Bristol Myers in Providence instead of Quonset, I doubt they could assemble a big enough parcel here.

Allens Ave is sometimes mentioned as a site for something like this but that area's got a lot of the city's key infrastructure. Is Providence going to try to evict NE Gas, Keyspan, the Sewage Treatment Plant, the Port of Providence? I don't think so. I think the other parcels (like Conley's) are way too small for a modern pharma plant.

Apparently what caused Bristol Myers to look at RI is the fact that Amgen has done well here. So one thing builds on another.

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True. As much as I would like to see Bristol Myers in Providence instead of Quonset, I doubt they could assemble a big enough parcel here.

Allens Ave is sometimes mentioned as a site for something like this but that area's got a lot of the city's key infrastructure. Is Providence going to try to evict NE Gas, Keyspan, the Sewage Treatment Plant, the Port of Providence? I don't think so. I think the other parcels (like Conley's) are way too small for a modern pharma plant.

My suggestion wasn't necessarily serious. I think NIMBY's would vocie very strong opinions about having a pharma plant in the city anyway. I can't imagine that the Washington Park neighborhood would be all that happy to have a processing plant right down the road.

There is a wider issue where the RIEDC should be pushing for clerical/office type places to build/occupy in the city instead of the burbs, leaving the expanses of the burbs to places like this. by pushing almost everything to the burbs, RI will eventually have a 95 corridor that resembles driving through northern Jersey, and there will be no reason to increase public transport or any other urbanist ideas in Providence. Quonset isn't a bad choice, but even if built I don't think we can expect many Providence residents to be working there. More likely it will mean building out Exeter and West Greenwich with more cookie cutter suburban developments.

I know this is my borken record, but IMO the RIEDC really dropped the ball on Fidelity and Brooks by encouraging them to build big suburban corporate campuses. Or maybe the city dropped the ball by not being accomodating enough. I don't know. I just know that Fidelity would look much better in a 350 foot building at the old Public Safety office and that Brooks would look better occupying the Amex building instead of adding to the sprawl in Smithfield and EG.

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My suggestion wasn't necessarily serious. I think NIMBY's would vocie very strong opinions about having a pharma plant in the city anyway. I can't imagine that the Washington Park neighborhood would be all that happy to have a processing plant right down the road.

There is a wider issue where the RIEDC should be pushing for clerical/office type places to build/occupy in the city instead of the burbs, leaving the expanses of the burbs to places like this. by pushing almost everything to the burbs, RI will eventually have a 95 corridor that resembles driving through northern Jersey, and there will be no reason to increase public transport or any other urbanist ideas in Providence. Quonset isn't a bad choice, but even if built I don't think we can expect many Providence residents to be working there. More likely it will mean building out Exeter and West Greenwich with more cookie cutter suburban developments.

I know this is my borken record, but IMO the RIEDC really dropped the ball on Fidelity and Brooks by encouraging them to build big suburban corporate campuses. Or maybe the city dropped the ball by not being accomodating enough. I don't know. I just know that Fidelity would look much better in a 350 foot building at the old Public Safety office and that Brooks would look better occupying the Amex building instead of adding to the sprawl in Smithfield and EG.

I think for Fidelity and Brooks, it was suburban development, or nothing.

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My suggestion wasn't necessarily serious. I think NIMBY's would vocie very strong opinions about having a pharma plant in the city anyway. I can't imagine that the Washington Park neighborhood would be all that happy to have a processing plant right down the road.

There is a wider issue where the RIEDC should be pushing for clerical/office type places to build/occupy in the city instead of the burbs, leaving the expanses of the burbs to places like this. by pushing almost everything to the burbs, RI will eventually have a 95 corridor that resembles driving through northern Jersey, and there will be no reason to increase public transport or any other urbanist ideas in Providence. Quonset isn't a bad choice, but even if built I don't think we can expect many Providence residents to be working there. More likely it will mean building out Exeter and West Greenwich with more cookie cutter suburban developments.

I know this is my borken record, but IMO the RIEDC really dropped the ball on Fidelity and Brooks by encouraging them to build big suburban corporate campuses. Or maybe the city dropped the ball by not being accomodating enough. I don't know. I just know that Fidelity would look much better in a 350 foot building at the old Public Safety office and that Brooks would look better occupying the Amex building instead of adding to the sprawl in Smithfield and EG.

I think you're right on with this comment. LRT or any other means of "alternative" transportation will never happen in RI if the business climate spreads to the ex-urbs. We may have the density to support other means of transportation, but the business is not here. Forget about the NIMBY's that would block any ideas of change. LRT wouldn't work in any area of NE except Boston. I think a regional service is more believable.

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Worcester is encouraging bio-tech development in an area off Rt.9 and it is working. It's proof that urban areas can accomodate large-scale development and grow. UMASS is expanding its research facilities. It's amazing that the area is surrounded by residential and the community embraces the expansion. This is even with a few high-rise buildings built on-site. It's proof that people and development can co-exist . Providence and R.I. should take lessons.

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I think for Fidelity and Brooks, it was suburban development, or nothing.

Any specific reason for that? Because on the surface of things, this statement (below) makes a whole lot of sense to me. Especially Fidelity. If that's not a company that would appear to be perfectly suited for a downcity office tower, I don't know what is.

I know this is my borken record, but IMO the RIEDC really dropped the ball on Fidelity and Brooks by encouraging them to build big suburban corporate campuses. Or maybe the city dropped the ball by not being accomodating enough. I don't know. I just know that Fidelity would look much better in a 350 foot building at the old Public Safety office and that Brooks would look better occupying the Amex building instead of adding to the sprawl in Smithfield and EG.

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Any specific reason for that? Because on the surface of things, this statement (below) makes a whole lot of sense to me. Especially Fidelity. If that's not a company that would appear to be perfectly suited for a downcity office tower, I don't know what is.

This whole conversation is getting way off topic, but I'm going there anyways. It kinda makes sense in today's business climate to be located in the suburbs. It's cheaper, and people seem to hate the idea of navigating confusing, busy city streets in their cars to get to work/meetings. The whole country is, for better or worse, auto-centric.

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These comments at the end of the article are a little depressing (as it regards our chances of winning this sweepstakes):

However, this paragraph from the middle of the article give me hope that we still have a fighting chance:

That's our asset here. MA has the obvious advantage of its large, pre-existing biotech community. NC has the advantage of being cheaper. NY, well, their advantage depends on where in NY we're talking about.

But our advantage lies in the fact that, being a tiny state, our top officials are always within arm's length. And we should be pressing that advantage. We should be bending over backwards to show this company how accomodating we can be.

If the state loses out, I won't be surprised, and I'll already know why. If we do lose, I'll post the behind the scenes stuff here.

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Plus, all these drug operations popping up require modern, specialized manufacturing facilities that the old factories in Providence don't offer.

This isn't totally true...

look in Cambridge, there are dozens of factories in Kendall Square converted to bio-tech manufacturing. And Novartis just converted the NECCO plant in Central Square to their worldwide R and D facility. Really, the old building shells are ideal, just as they were ideal 100 years ago. Its the systems that make the difference, and those all get replaced regardless of the use...

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look in Cambridge, there are dozens of factories in Kendall Square converted to bio-tech manufacturing. And Novartis just converted the NECCO plant in Central Square to their worldwide R and D facility. Really, the old building shells are ideal, just as they were ideal 100 years ago. Its the systems that make the difference, and those all get replaced regardless of the use...

When I was a courier I was in Worcester every day, in and out of the biotech labs around town. All of the facilities there were brand-spanking new. And Worcester has many, many empty mills which remain dirty neglected fire hazards to this day. The problem in Providence is the parking! These mills were built long before cars and tractor-trailers; employees walked to work and the train took the goods to market.

Cambridge has lots of parking garages! Hey, if you can take an old machine room and sell it to someone who wants to live there for half a million bucks, you can most-certainly convert that building to a biotech facility. The question is do the numbers stack up against a new build, highway visible and accessible facility? I work in Sprawlfield close to Fidelity! I'd much rather go to work downtown, most of us on UP Prov. would (but we have to go where the available jobs are of course)... but many people ENJOY living in non-descript cookie cutter suburbia.

Like damus said, it's an autocentric world we live in. It's the parking!